Every year on 7 June, World Food Safety Day highlights the important role that safe food plays in protecting our health and well-being. While food safety is often associated with preventing food poisoning and foodborne illnesses, it is also a critical part of building healthier communities and supporting long-term health outcomes.

At Eat Better South Africa (EBSA), we believe that good health starts with good food. Safe food handling, preparation, and storage practices help ensure that the nutritious foods we choose are able to provide the greatest benefit to our bodies. Whether preparing meals at home, shopping for groceries, or sharing food with family and friends, food safety is a responsibility we all share.

Foodborne illnesses affect millions of people worldwide each year and can have serious consequences, particularly for vulnerable groups such as older adults, young children, pregnant women, and individuals living with chronic health conditions. For people managing obesity, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and other metabolic conditions, maintaining good health requires not only making nutritious food choices but also ensuring that food is prepared and stored safely.

Simple actions can make a significant difference:

• Wash your hands thoroughly before handling food.
• Clean kitchen surfaces and utensils regularly.
• Store foods at the correct temperatures.
• Separate raw and cooked foods to prevent contamination.
• Cook foods thoroughly.
• Prioritise fresh, whole, minimally processed foods whenever possible.

At EBSA, we encourage communities to develop practical food skills that support both health and confidence in the kitchen. Learning how to prepare affordable, nutrient-dense meals safely is an important step towards improving metabolic health and reducing the burden of chronic disease.

World Food Safety Day serves as a reminder that food safety is not only about preventing illness today, it is also about creating healthier futures for ourselves, our families, and our communities. Every safe meal prepared and every informed food choice made contributes to better health outcomes and a stronger, healthier society.

This World Food Safety Day, let us celebrate the simple but powerful actions that help keep our food safe and our communities healthy.

Safe food today. Better health tomorrow.

Eat Better South Africa – empowering communities through practical nutrition education and sustainable lifestyle change.